A new comprehensive report has been released, diagnosing the major challenges South Korea will face in 2027 amid global crises and multi-war dynamics. The book, titled 2027 South Korea Outlook (K Books), is the result of collective insights from 31 scholars and experts from 14 major national and public research institutions, covering 32 key areas including diplomacy, security, science and technology, and economics.
The book is structured into four parts, integrating South Korea's five pillars of sustainable development—scientific innovation, economic vitality, social balance, environmental resilience, and cultural inclusivity—with the key to multi-security in the era: diplomacy and security. The central slogan is "The Light of the East: Advancing to 'G3+' with Strategic Autonomy in the Era of Multi-Wars." The report suggests that amid global conflicts, including U.S.-China tensions, South Korea should strive for strategic autonomy that embodies compassion and shared prosperity, moving beyond the G5.
In the first part, titled "South Korea's Perspective: Magnificent Humanity," the report discusses the challenges of K-democracy and the progressive camp, as well as the polarization and inclusive economy behind the semiconductor boom. It also includes an analysis of South Korea's indicators from 17 global evaluation agencies, referencing Pope Leo XIII's social encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas," which emphasizes human dignity in the age of AI.
The second part, "Diplomacy and Security: Indo-Pacific + Arctic, Strategic Autonomy," expands the scope of maritime economic security from coastal waters to maritime routes, examining the sea routes from the Indian Ocean through the Malacca and Singapore Straits to the South China Sea, the Yellow Sea, and the Arctic. It addresses China's gray zone strategy, the Korea-Japan economic security partnership, and cooperation on Arctic routes with Russia, as well as North Korea's constitutional amendments and the outlook for its 9th Party Congress, alongside a "linchpin strategy" for nuclear deterrence.
The third part, "Science and Technology, Economic Industry: Tech War," discusses the second act of the talent war in science and technology, South Korea's "Rule Setter" strategy in response to China's AI full stack, and the development of proprietary AI models. It provides a broad overview of physical AI, next-generation AI semiconductors, humanoid robots and unmanned robo-taxis expected to be deployed by 2027, the K-nuclear power vision, strategic investments in the U.S., and future technologies in digital healthcare.
The fourth part, "Trend 25," highlights the emergence of the "marriage option" generation, organizational governance in the age of AI agents, the value of human intervention amid the flood of low-quality AI content, trends in garden tours and cultural arts, and the potential recovery of the South Korean film industry.
Notably, Professor Moon Hyung-nam, a co-author and member of the writing committee, has drawn attention for his contributions. He has served as the dean of the Global Convergence College at Sookmyung Women's University and the inaugural dean of the Korean Wave International University. Currently, he holds several leadership roles, including president of the Sustainable Science Society, the Korean AI Education Association, and the Korean Vibe Coding Association, as well as director of the ESG Metaverse Development Research Institute.
Alongside this co-authored publication, Professor Moon has also released two solo books forecasting 2027. These include 2027 AI Outlook (Purple), which deepens the AI projections presented in the co-authored work into ten key themes, and 2027 Investment Outlook (Purple), which examines trends across five asset classes: stocks, real estate, bonds, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Together, these works complete what is referred to as the "2027 Outlook Trilogy," encompassing national strategy, technology, and assets.
This new book is the seventh in a series of long-term national strategy publications, following Comprehensive Strategy for Sustainable Development in Transitional Korea (2015) and Post-COVID South Korea (2020), which have been published annually since 2022.
The lead author and chair of the writing committee, Professor Lee Young-han, an emeritus professor at Seoul Tech University and CEO of K Books, stated, "We aimed to exclude commercial interests and focus on accurate observation, sound reasoning, and precise writing. We hope this serves as a guide for our society to find the right path amid the uncertainties of 2027."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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